


Into the Lions' Den

by orphan_account



Series: Arendelle Mafia [1]
Category: Frozen (2013), Tangled (2010)
Genre: F/F, Kidnapping, POV First Person, Rescue, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-30
Updated: 2015-10-30
Packaged: 2018-04-28 13:32:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5092589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rapunzel has been Mother Gothel's captive for fifteen years, but a chance escape leads her to the Arendelle Manor, where her cousins run the biggest mafia in Norway.  First part in the Arendelle Mafia series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Into the Lions' Den

**Author's Note:**

> Rapunzel first person POV, past tense, non-romantic. Huge shout out to Melancholic for all his amazing work as an editor!

Rain poured from the sky. Murky puddles splashed up as my shoes slapped against the wet concrete, fragile soles that were never meant for outside falling to tatters while the rain shot a chill right through me. I knew I didn’t have much time until she discovered I was missing, but what else could I do? Fifteen years a slave to her, nothing more than a tool to extend the life of a depraved madwoman. It took it’s toll on me in a way nothing else could. The fear of being taken back drove me forward on uneven footsteps until I was at the front gate of a building I hadn’t seen since I was a child: the Arendelle Manor. A pair of rather displeased looking guards stood huddled together beneath the roof of the guard post as I slowed my approach. One of them stepped forward once he thought I was within earshot, yelling over the inescapable sound of rain.

“Woah there little lady! This is private property,” his gravely voice boomed in warning. I knew he was carrying a gun of some sort, but I wagered that he would give me a chance to talk. From what I remembered of the Arendelle security, they weren’t as quick to jump the gun as my family’s had been. 

“Please, you have to tell Anna! I’m her cousin, Rapunzel. I need her help.” My laboured breathing made it hard to raise my voice, but I think he heard. His eyebrow raised in suspicion as I looked behind me for fear of being followed. He turned to the other guard, who was already speaking into the walkie that came standard with all guards, and I knew I would get my chance to see the one woman I could rely on. This world was full of monsters, and I was about to walk into the lair of this city’s greatest beasts. 

“OK, follow me. You’d best hope that Ms. Arendelle is as fond of you as you think she is.” His huge, calloused hand held a vice grip on my arm as he lead me towards the door. Inside, another tall, blond guard lead me towards the waiting room where Anna was already seated - though she looked ready to pounce on me as soon as I can around the corner. Her excitement faltered for a moment, matched with a look of confusion and head cocked sideways. The room itself hadn't changed at all from my memories: the same dull burgundy wallpaper with intermittent lines of gold, thick brown carpet worn with age, framed paintings of family members looking far too stern. Even the flowers seemed unchanged by time, taking up their spot in a cream coloured vase. 

“Punzie?” she asked softly. Apparently the drastic change in hair styles, along with being drenched in water, made me look quite different. Go figure.

“Yes, it’s me. I had my hair cut, and it turned brown immediately. Not to mention I probably look like a drowned rat right about now,” I answered with a wavering grin that I had no confidence in. Her look told me she wasn’t quite convinced, and I knew I had to say something fast. The bodyguard stood by, narrowing his golden brown eyes even as he ran his fingers through the fur of his huge dog seated at his side. There was something, an old memory that she had to still hold from when we were young. When she would fall after climbing something she shouldn’t have, and I’d be there for her. My heart heavy, I began to sing. 

 

“Heal what has been hurt,  
Change the fate’s design,  
Save what has been lost,  
Bring back what once was mine” 

She joined me, softly lost in thought as we both trailed away repeating, “What once was mine…” It brought tears to her eyes, but I didn’t want to see her cry, so instead I quietly pushed the conversation a different direction. “How’s Elsa? Still the good heiress?” Even when we were kids Elsa had been prim and proper, set to inherit the entirety of the Arendelle Family Estate someday. I hoped things hadn't taken a turn for the worse, or my visit might be cut maddeningly short.

“Yep, same old Elsa,” she said with a gentle smile after wiping her tears away. She had grown a lot since we were kids, to the point that she now stood at least four centimeters above me. “I’d ask how you’ve been, but….obviously if you’re here, sopping wet, and needing help in the middle of the night then something is really wrong. Not to mention the fact that you’ve been missing for a decade and a half. Come with me and we’ll get you cleaned up so we can have a proper reunion.” 

Anna nodded to her guard, who hesitated for only a moment before following along behind us. His dog seemed quite eager to say hi to me, sniffing excitedly at the air behind me and tail wagging. I was pretty sure if I stayed here for more than a week he and I would be best buddies. My gaze fell back to my cousin, the one person I knew I could count on even after a decade apart, and I fell to my knees with the gravity of my situation. 

“Oh gods, Anna! You have no idea what I’ve been through. She kept me hidden away for so long...” I shuddered and snapped my eyes shut before felt her arms snake around my shoulders, warm and tender and loving, as she placed a kiss on my brow. I clung to her with everything I had left in me.

“Shh, it’s ok Punzie. You’re safe now. You don’t have to worry anymore.” Before she bent down beside me she tossed the guards a single dark look, and they nodded with grim understanding as they left the room. When they were gone she looked into my eyes and caressed my cheek with utmost tenderness. “Do you want me to carry you?” As I nodded she scooped me up into her arms - surprisingly strong for such a slim woman - and slowly carried me down the long hallway past two rooms and another walkway leading deeper into the house. I could remember staying here as a very small child without ever being allowed this far into the manor, and finally getting to look at the decorations for the first time was eye opening. Their parents had obviously had an eye for landscapes when they decorated, mostly icy vistas common to Norway. Somewhere along the way she began to hum a soft, pleasant tune that lulled me closer to sleep with every gentle step she took. The fear and adrenaline that had been building since I took my first step towards freedom began to wane with the knowledge that I was safe - not only in the Manor but also in Anna’s arms. I felt the world slip away from me, finally safe to let my guard down and stop worrying, and soon being woken from my drowsing when she set me down on a guest bed. “Hey, you’re still sopping wet. You must be freezing. How about a shower to warm you up?” She asked, and I could only blink at her for a moment before I truly understood her words. I managed a small nod, but felt entirely out of energy by this point. “Don’t worry, I’m right here for you. I won’t leave until you’re ready for bed, OK?”

“I...” my voice trailed off as I tried to give voice to my feelings. “Don’t let me be alone at all, please? Stay by my side, at least for now?” She was, of course, sitting right beside me and yet she knew the depth of my request. “And...can you help me? I need someone to support me.” A slight blush spread across my cheeks as I looked over my soaked clothing, my trembling fingers unable to fully grasp the fabric. I whimpered, a mixture of annoyance at my own weakness and defeat plaguing my voice. 

“Here, let me help you, if that’s OK?” She asked, not with pity, but an infinite sadness topped by the need to prove that she wasn’t going anywhere. My sigh must have been the most pathetic, pleading sound I’d ever produced, and I leaned against her shoulder to keep from falling. She understood, though, and murmured comforting nothings as she pulled me up into a standing position, allowing her to lift the dress over my head and toss it aside as her arms wound around me like a shield. Deft hands, quick and confident, make quick work of my underclothes, which she added to the sodden pile started by my dress before she kissed my forehead and smiled down at me. Her eyes were full of concern, which was proven completely warranted as I nearly fell trying to step towards the bathroom. Thankfully, she caught me and set me down on the bed again, shaking her head at my pitiful state. Before I knew it, she had stripped down as well and was motioning towards the bathroom along with that ever present smile, her arm secure around my waist to keep me standing. 

“Do you want me to go with you? The tile is slippery, and you can barely stand right now. I can be your strength.” She held my hand while she waited for my nod, which I gave. Before I knew it, she had stripped down as well and was helping me hobble towards the bathroom, wearing only her ever-present smile, her arm secure around my waist to keep me standing, continuing to hold me as she pulled me up against the warmth of her body. I shivered and clung to her to drink in the warmth she offered despite the alien sensation of someone against me. I wasn’t used to being around someone else, or having them around me, clothed or not. Gothel had been very adamant about me being nothing more than a tool she used to extend her life. The unpleasant memory meant I was only half in the present as she lead me into the shower and got it running, and when she stepped inside for me to hold on to. Hot water eased the tense muscles in my shoulders as she stepped back to look me over, hands still on my shoulders in case I started to fall as I returned from the depths of my thoughts, finding myself looking up into her endearing smile.

“Hey, can you stand on your own?” She asked me with more sincerity in her voice than I had heard in the last fifteen years, so I nodded once again, as I found my strength returning while my fatigue drifted away. “Great. Let the heat sink in for a bit, mmk? You'll feel so much better once you're warmed up.”

I stood there, dumbstruck by her affection and comfort, by the way her eyes said so much more than I had dreamt possible as she monitored my condition. I felt something that I hadn’t since I was taken: I felt loved. It was all too much for me to take in, so I let my gaze fall to her shoulders, where an amazing array of colours marked her skin in a dozen different designs. I hadn't seen the barest hint of a tattoo with her shirt on, but thinking back I realized it had a rather high neck. Curious, I found myself looking over the rest of her, only to discover that she was covered in tattoos from the neck down to her wrists and ankles. Every inch of skin contained vibrant colour: a crocus over her heart - not unusual being that it was her family crest, a rubber ducky on her right hip, Jessica Rabbit on the right calf, a bouquet of sunflowers running down her right arm with the flowers blooming over her shoulder, and a myriad of others. I followed them all the way down her remarkably sculpted torso to the her incredibly toned legs and finally to her ankles, where the colours stopped. “Wow, so many…” I heard myself say without realizing I had opened my mouth at all, and I whipped around to face the wall from shame. Gangsters were known for their ink, though not usually as irreverent as the ones Anna sported, but I still felt as though I had invaded her personal space. I figured her bright personality lead her towards the happier options, and I wanted to find them all. 

“You ok Punzie?” Her arms slipped around my waist with the gentle confidence of a woman who was used to providing comfort. The embrace steadied and relaxed me as she pressed against my back and placed a delicate kiss on my shoulder. "I've missed you so much." She whispered, and I thought I could feel the soft drops of tears on my skin. "You were gone for so long, I was afraid I would never see you again. Nobody knew what happened, just that someone took you from the house but your parents never got a ransom. After a year they held a small funeral for you, and that's the last anyone dared to speak of you." I could tell she was holding back from crying, and I tried to lean back against her to tell her how much it meant to me that she was there, physically holding onto me as well as giving me an emotional anchor. 

I shuddered as my tears and sobs overtook my entire being. Sudden realization that yes, I really was safe, and I might actually see my parents again. Anna held me the whole time without saying a word. She couldn't have known what I felt, and yet the way she nuzzled my neck as her thumbs rubbed gentle, loving circles along my sides spoke of an understanding that could never be denied. It was clear that no measure of time would be enough to diminish her love for me. Family is number one, always and forever. That was the one rule our parents had instilled in us from infancy, and Anna exemplified it.

"Anna," I choked out between sobs, "Don't ever let anyone take me ever again." I already knew her answer, but I had to hear her say it out loud. Our fingers entwined as she hugged me tighter, placing another soft kiss between my shoulder blades. 

"I'll always protect you, Punzie. Nobody will ever hurt you again, I swear to the gods." She needn't say more. Despite the brevity of her declaration we both knew the depth of her commitment.

"Thank you. I don't know what else to say." I felt myself steadying as the warm waters washed away more than just the grime on my body; it cleansed my soul. She released me as she took a step back and I could feel the warmth of her smile, even from behind me. I turned to smile back up at her, surprised when she brought a soapy loofah to my my shoulder. For uncounted minutes I stood as she scrubbed me clean with utmost tenderness. Once she was satisfied I stepped under the water for the last time that night. 

***

The rest of the night was a continual blur until I found myself stuffed full of food and wrapped up in a guest bedroom. Leave it to the Arendelle Family to have the softest, purest white linens I've ever seen on this seldom-used bed. I buried myself under three blankets, warm and soft, until I couldn't fight the creeping embrace of sleep. Sometime during the night I must have woken up and called for water, because there was a half empty glass beside my bed when I awoke.

I stretched my rested limbs from beneath the safety of my blankets as my brain caught up to where I was and what had transpired. “I'm really safe.” I told myself, “She can't get to me here, not when they know she's out there.” It was a comforting thing to tell myself after fifteen years of captivity. I threw the comforters aside and slipped out of bed with the soft footsteps of someone accustomed to being out of sight and sound, but even still the guard outside my door could hear me. 

"Miss Corona, if you're ready we have clothes ready for you, as well as breakfast prepared in the dining hall. Both of the Ladies Arendelle are awaiting your presence as soon as you have gathered yourself." He spoke through the door, loud enough for me to hear him clearly, yet quiet enough not to disturb those in other rooms. 

I was torn between eating and going straight to see my cousins, but my stomach rumbled at the mere thought of food and I decided a full belly two meals in a row would be a nice change of pace. I found the change of clothes hanging on a chair for me: a lavender dress and matching house slippers. Both fit perfectly - something to ask Anna about later, if I remembered. As soon as I had changed I stepped out of my room, getting escorted to a dining room bigger than the entire apartment I had been kept in previously. I marveled at the enormous table before me, green and gold runner adorned with a variety of similarly coloured fresh flowers. The table top looked to be one solid piece of mahogany, at least twenty feet in length and intricately carved with a recurring pattern of the Arendelle Family crest. Set in front of a single chair I could see a platter of fruits, toast, various jams, milk, and orange juice. Breakfast had been chosen for me, which wasn’t at all unfamiliar, but the quality and variety were was far better than the cheap scraps I was used to. I devoured so much that the guard gave me an impressed look along with his easygoing smile. 

When I had finished eating I was directed to follow my assigned guard through the house, through long and ominous hallways filled with the kinds of things I imagined after my first trip down a the lengthy corridors. Fine portraits, landscapes, and a few oddly endearing pictures of what I could only guess were faeries accompanied me on the journey to an enclosed veranda looking out over the courtyard hidden from any public view. I was captivated by the sheer natural beauty of the most splendid garden I had ever seen. The Arendelle Manor seemed so far removed from the grunge and sorrow this city had in spades, even if it was quite possibly the source of more darkness than any other single location in all of Norway, save maybe the capitol building. 

Elsa sat in a large outdoor chair, her pose exuded the intimidating level of self confidence expected from a woman of her position, and yet she still looked quite relaxed. She wore a button up cream blouse tucked into perfectly fitted white trousers, her matching suit jacket resting on the table to her side. She gave me one quick glance, though it felt like she had scryed the depths of my soul, as she stood with a courteous smile. Before I could begin to fathom the appropriate response someone pulled me into a breath stealing hug. Anna's warmth flowed through me as she kissed my cheek in concert with another bone breaking squeeze. Elsa hugged me too, more reserved as to be expected, but I was surprised to receive such a gift at all. 

"You look so much better, Punzie!" Anna's tender voice filled my ears even as she retreated. "Did you sleep well?" As she took her place to Elsa’s left I realized how tall the elder sister really was, at least six centimeters over Anna, which meant I was noticeably the shortest. Staring up at both of them added a whole other level of subtle intimidation that I knew neither meant me to feel, yet I couldn’t help but try standing a little straighter in their presence. 

I was caught between answering her and addressing Elsa, who assuredly held more  
authority than her younger sister. Elsa's encouraging smile told me she could wait, but even still it felt rude. I bowed my head to her to ensure that she got some manner of recognition before I turned to Anna with the best smile I could muster.

"Oh yes, I slept wonderfully! Probably the best sleep I've had in fifteen years." Instead of the happy expression I expected, Anna looked dour. She pulled me into another deep hug and rubbed my back with the same long, slow circular patterns from the night before. 

"Oh Punzie, I'm so sorry we never found you. If we had known you were here the whole time, we'd have searched high and low until you were back home. I..." she trailed off as we locked gazes, but before she could continue I cupped her cheek and shook my head.

"No, don't tear yourself up over it.” She looked on the verge of tears anyway, so I pulled her down into a hug of my own. “Mother Gothel made sure nobody could find me, and that nobody saw what happened.” Holding Anna like that gave me the strength I needed to talk about it. If I had been standing alone, I might not have managed it. “She had the perfect plan, and the only reason Flynn was able to rescue me was because she had to leave for three days in a row, and I managed to yell loud enough for him to hear me from across the hall. Good thing he’d moved in, too, or I'd still be stuck in that gods be damned apartment." Anna sniffled against my shoulder, hearing this. "Don't cry, Anna, I'm safe now because of you." I turned to Elsa, a warm smile just for her. "And you, Elsa. The two of you are my lifeline in the dark. Without knowing you were here I wouldn't have known where to go once I was free. Mother would often complain about your hold on the city - the only thing that gave me hope." 

Both of them hugged me tightly then, a shielding embrace that conveyed everything either could hope to say with words. I slipped one arm around each to hold them against me as we shared an extended moment together for the first time in forever. Elsa's cool hands balanced the surge of warmth from Anna leaning against me in a way that comforted me more than I could have imagined, but the feeling didn't last much longer. 

"Forgive me, Rapunzel, but I need you to explain a few things to me," Elsa said in that collected manner she seemed born with. "Beginning with what you remember from being kidnapped, and anything you think might help us in...dealing...with Gothel. She's been a pain in our backs for too long." She was leaning against the white painted table with her arms crossed as she spoke. I got chills the way she spoke of the woman who had more or less raised me. I gulped as Anna held my hand steadily in hers, a supportive smile telling me that I wasn’t alone. 

I looked around for a moment before I found a wicker chair to sit in. I practically fell into it; felt as though Elsa's steely gaze had pushed me down. "I...don't really remember anything from the beginning. I was so young when she kidnapped me that I'm not really sure how she did it anymore. Before the night was over she had me locked away in a padded room to ensure that nobody would hear my crying. I was only permitted to leave to use the restroom and shower - always under constant supervision. Once, when I think I was fourteen, I tried to escape by pushing her down instead of healing her and running away. I only got to the door before she caught hold of my arm and dragged me back into the padded room. She beat me so hard I was limping for almost a month, and after that I pretty much gave up hope until last week. She told me she had to leave for three days, and I knew I had to try even though she spent hours telling me how pointless it would be to leave. Gothel constantly told me that I’m too naive and pathetic and weak to make it on my own, but she didn’t expect me to get help. Flynn had been poking around for a while when he realized she was acting strangely for an old woman who supposedly lived alone and dealt with a nasty disease. She gets pretty frail if I don't heal her after a couple days."

Elsa hadn't so much as twitched as I recounted my story, until I mentioned having to heal her. The focus was Gothel and her weakness, of course. Not me or my fifteen year ordeal. "Why does she need you to heal her so often?" The way she asked made me think of a lioness assessing her prey for any sign of weakness, which caused me to shiver with fear despite knowing her ire was firmly directed at my captor. I was irrationally scared to say anything about Gothel but the look Anna gave me - a subtle nod and the slightest upturn of her lips into a smile - helped me find my confidence. 

"She um...she has some sort of degenerative disease from what I can tell. I can't heal it completely but I can reverse the effects to the point where she has normal functionality. Only...it seems like she gets worse and worse, faster and faster. Like her disease is trying to outrun my healing." I leaned back into my chair as though it was a cave to hide in. Still Elsa's piercing gaze bored through me, until at last she looked to Anna for a moment. They shared a conversation in that look, one that I could only guess at the meaning of. Yet when I looked back to Elsa I found a warmth in her eyes that I hadn't seen since we played as small children. The breath I had been holding escaped my lungs as her expression broadened into a full smile, one that radiated love the way I thought only Anna could. It seemed like Elsa really did have it in her to look like she loved me. Good thing I was family, extended or not. 

“Thank you, Rapunzel. We’ll take care of the matter soon. Anna will spend the rest of the day with you, if you would like.” In the span of ten seconds she had slipped back into her usual icy demeanor, though Anna remained her consistently tender and cheerful self. I couldn’t understand how she stayed positive and happy, knowing that her sister ran the biggest Mafia in the country, maybe all of Scandinavia. I made a note to ask her how she handled it so well. 

"I'd like that very much. Thank you, Elsa." I turned to Anna just in time for her to pull me into yet another tight hug. The hidden strength in her arms continued to surprise me as she pulled me towards the house and lead me back to the guest room. I didn't know how long I would be staying there, but I had already decided to make the best of it. We hurried along to give Elsa her space for planning. Strolling back through the hallways at a leisurely pace helped me relax from my interrogation, especially with Anna holding my hand and gently rubbing her thumb over my palm. She seemed quite content with the arrangements as she crossed to the window of my room and drew the blinds closed. I could see the strong muscles in her back and shoulders flexing through the impressively form-fitting shirt she had chosen that morning, as well as some of the blue tattoo on her back. She turned as I stood trying to figure out what the design was, her smile catching me off guard. 

"Her snowflake," she answered my unasked question with a knowing smirk. "When we noticed her powers making a consistent design we took a picture, and it was the first tattoo I got. It shows how much she means to me. You'll understand soon enough, I'm sure." There was a depth of love in her eyes that gave me pause, a ferociousness to her devotion that went deeper than I felt I could follow into her heart. 

I wasn't sure what to make of that, but I knew how important family was and left it at that. "That's sweet of you," I said, feeling that I had to say something. Her broadened smile told me I had found the right words.

"But today isn't about us. It's about you. We need to get you clothes, makeup, whatever will make you happy. Don't worry about how much it costs." She spoke of her luxurious lifestyle flippantly, as though the money was endless and easy, which I guessed it was when you were at the head of the most powerful family in three countries. She lived with so much, it was hard to reconcile with the nothing I had lived with for so long. "Do you have a preference for clothing? I think you'd look great in purple. Maybe some dresses, a few skirts, and a pair of shorts or two, along with as many blouses as we can fit in your closet." As she spoke of the things she would buy me she pulled open my closet to see how much space there was. Definitely more room in the closet than my old living area. 

"I...I don't need all that. Just something to keep me warm." I blushed as my eyes locked on the floor. This kind of attention was wholly unfamiliar to me in a way that made me feel ashamed. I didn't want to be special - just wanted to survive and hopefully be helpful in some way. The way Anna looked at me right then nearly broke my heart in twain. Tears blurred my vision as I choked on sobs I couldn't explain to her. I stumbled backwards until I felt the bed behind me and let myself fall back onto it, desperate to crawl beneath the comforters and hide my shame. Before I could even find the edge I was pulled back into Anna's arms in a crushing embrace that stole the breath from my lungs. Warm lips pressed to my forehead, swiftly followed by tears falling into my hair. 

"Oh Punzie, you poor thing. It's ok to want things and look good. We want you to be happy and healthy. You don't have to hide yourself any more." She pulled back enough to look in my eyes, her turquoise irises wet despite the brilliant smile on her lips. I could only nod and cling to her for support while she run her hands up and down my back. 

"I'm sorry, Anna. It's going to be a while until I'm used to this kind of life. Can you forgive me for being so scared? I don't know what to do with myself now that I'm free of Gothel." My hands crept to the hem of her shirt to pull myself against her. 

"Shh, I know it's tough. You're allowed to be scared. Once you see how safe you are here things will get better. For now, let's take your measurements so we know where to start when we go shopping, ok? We'll start slowly until you've adjusted." 

I was shocked at the endless outpouring of love she had - for someone she hadn't seen in fifteen years! The feeling of warmth that spread through me brought more tears to my eyes, albeit for a much different reason. "Thank you. Just...thank you, so much. You've given me so much already, and yet there's no sign of it coming to an end. How do you have so much love in you?" 

A soft chuckle spilled from her lips as she shook her head with amusement. "I've been told that before. I guess that's just who I am, an endless font of love and affection for the people I value. I know it's been a long time since I last saw you but that doesn't mean my feelings have diminished - just the opposite." She sat down beside me and I fell into her arms to finally give her a hug instead of receiving one. We stayed still for what felt like hours, though it was really only a few minutes. When I retreated to gather myself she slipped off the bed and spoke to her regular guard, whom I had forgotten about entirely. He nodded to her and stepped out of the room, though his dog remained stationed by the door with tail wagging. Anna gave his ears a long scratch and he barked appreciatively. 

"OK, it's just us now. You can disrobe and we'll measure you without anyone looking. There's a measuring tape in the top drawer of your nightstand, along with some paper and a pencil." Why such things were readily on hand I didn't know, but their convenience was enough for me. I stripped down to my undergarments after retrieving the aforementioned items. I felt so comfortable around her, and trusted her to look out for my interests as though they were her own.

She didn't take long in gathering the measurements required, though I felt like she was almost appraising me as she worked. Her eyes wandered over every inch of my exposed body by the time we had finished, and she ended with a nod to herself. I took her hand in mine, squeezing gently as I smiled. "Is everything OK, Anna? You gave me quite the look over." 

Her eyes widened in slight surprise before she returned the squeeze with a nod. "Yeah. I wanted to make sure you didn't have any injuries or anything. I guess I could have looked last night, but with you being barely conscious and all it seemed a little too close to voyeurism." I hadn't even thought about any bruises or scratches I may have collected during my escape, though my time in captivity had been mostly emotional abuse. Gothel didn't often hit me even if she went out of her way to remind me how pitiful I was and that I needed her for everything. It had been true, of course, that she was the one who fed, sheltered, and - oddly - educated me for all those years. 

My internal memoir was interrupted by fingers running through my hair. "What happened here? Last time I saw you your hair was so long, and such a beautiful golden colour. Did she do this to you?" The look she bore - mixed compassion and rage - frightened me. I was very glad Gothel held her ire and not me, but the power that seemed to radiate from her was still terrifying. I leaned into her hand and clung to her in hopes of settling her down before I began. 

"No, Gothel didn't. She was convinced that if my hair got cut, I would lose my powers, so she made sure I kept it growing, long and healthy. When Flynn helped me escape my hair had been looped and tied through a clamp to keep me from going too far. Before I could tell him how important it is he sliced through it and my hair shriveled away as soon as the blade was through each strand, and I don't even know if I have any powers anymore." I rested against her, unable to meet her gaze. Even though her eyes were hidden from me, I could feel the anger emanating from her body. Her arms flexed protectively around me as she kissed the top of my head. 

"Nobody will ever lay a hand on you like that ever again. I swear it." She spoke through gritted teeth while her hands gripped my shoulders so tightly that I half thought I would bruise. "But enough of that. Let's get you dressed again so we can go shopping. We’ll go see the Godmother to get you started. She’s seriously magical!" She helped me dress, even if the night’s rest meant I didn't need the assistance, while we talked about what styles or colours I wanted. It was readily apparent that I knew nothing useful on the topic, but she didn’t let that stop her one bit from trying to get me involved and excited about it. I'd always worn what Gothel gave me, and rarely was it more than a second hand dress that was far from fashionable. Now I would be on the cusp of beauty, as far as the Mafia goes. It was like I had stumbled out of the shadows and found myself in a sunbeam spotlight. This city could be so dark, I knew better than anyone that it could, and yet here I was, sitting with its brightest smile.


End file.
